Khairatabad Ganesh idol to be 61-ft tall this year

Khairatabad: The Ganesh idol of Khairatabad will stand 61-feet tall with 12 heads, 24 hands and with seven horses in Suryudu Avatar this year. The sketch is being prepared. More than 150 artists from various states across the country will be joining us in making the idol, chief sculptor C Rajendran told to the The Hans India.

Preliminary works of the pandal have already started at Khairatabad to place the Ganesh idol. Chief sculptor C Rajendran has been associated with the Khairtabad Ganesh Utsav Committee since 1976. He says, "I was also a part of it when the 14-foot Ganesh was made, and over the years the size and height has increased. The Ganesh Utsav Committee has been ideating and coming out with new designs, and we rope in artists from various states, including Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and Bihar, every year."

Rajendran's association with the Ganesh committee has been unwavering. He says, "Even when I had projects at Ramoji Film City, I never missed these works. I have done 63-feet and 72-feet Ganesh idols in Vijayawada in the previous years, apart from Khairatabad Ganesh idols, he said.

Not only Khairatabad Ganesh idol, Rajendran has built Ganesh idols of various designs and sizes in Dilsukhnagar, Kamala Nagar and other areas in the city. He has done many Ganesh idols in city and in Vijayawada and this year again he is doing 61-foot Ganesh idol for the committee. He said that this time expenses have gone up.

In 2013, a 59-feet Ganesh idol was installed to mark the completion of 59 years of Khairatabad Ganesh idol. Over the years, the height kept increasing and touched 60 feet in 2014.

The committee members decided to reduce the height owing to logistic reasons, as it was becoming difficult to transport the idol for immersion. Last year, the size of the idol was 55 feet, and the theme was Sri Saptha Mukha Ganesh.